7 Things You'd Never Know About ADHD Symptoms For Women
ADHD Symptoms For Women Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional volatility and an sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality sleep, which can exacerbate symptoms. Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms better than males by employing strategies to manage their stress and meet the social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment. 1. Difficulty Focusing Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to focus at school, during meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish everyday tasks such as keeping track of appointments or taking medications. Difficulty focusing is one of the most common adhd symptoms for girls and women, regardless of their gender identity or whether they have hyperactive/impulsive or inattentive ADHD. Women with the inattentive form of the disorder may have trouble organizing their home or their desks and may struggle to prioritize tasks, according to CHADD. These issues can lead them to miss appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the right time, or fail to keep up on their tasks. They can make them feel embarrassed and blame themselves for their troubles, thinking they are lazy or forgetful. Inattentional ADHD can also lead to poor performance at school or at work and can also lead to the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that are often associated with ADHD in women, according to CHADD. Teachers and parents may be biased towards boys and men, causing women and girls to be overlooked. They may not be able to express their ADHD symptoms as well, especially the hyperactive/impulsive ones, and may have difficulty finding treatment that works for them. For women who are adults with ADHD symptoms, they may be exacerbated due to hormonal changes. For example, they can be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause—the run-up to menopausal, when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems, including mood swings and anger. The use of stimulants can help increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help with focus and organization. Some schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues too. 2. Forgetting Things Forgetfulness can make managing daily chores and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to keep track of important details particularly when they happen in a noisy setting. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to school or work. Women who suffer from ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails, which can lead to financial stress and a feeling of urgency. You might have trouble working in a crowded or noisy office. You may also zone out during conversations, leaving the other person feeling ignored or misunderstood. Many women and girls suffering from ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is due to the fact that they have a harder managing their emotions and are more likely to become overwhelmed. They may also struggle with self-esteem and could be more likely to interpret their problems as “personal flaws” rather than recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms. Women and girls with ADHD are also often overlooked due to gender bias, since their symptoms are more noticeable than those of males and females. They could disguise symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders, which can cause a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones and, particularly during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone rises. adult adhd in women can lead to a greater variance in symptoms from day to day which can make it more difficult to recognize and treat ADHD effectively. Being diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop the life skills needed to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that could cause symptoms to get worse. It is also possible to practice mindfulness and meditation techniques to help calm your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. Talking to a mental health professional could also be helpful, as they can discuss possible accommodations at work or school that can help you manage your ADHD symptoms better. 3. Disruptive Behavior In most cases, females who suffer from ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that the female and female brains differ from those of males and females or it could have to do with how much activity is occurring in the parts of the brain that manage impulsive and disruptive behavior. In the end, it can be difficult for a doctor to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to hide their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others are not sustainable and could cause other health problems. Some women, for example use excessive alcohol or drugs to manage. They might also develop depression or have other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping mechanisms can make it difficult for people to recognize that they are suffering from a condition and delay a proper diagnosis. Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptoms for women. It can affect their work or school performance, or even their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a task, forgetting important events or tasks, and becoming easily distracted by other things in their surroundings or in their thoughts. They may fidget, tap their feet or hands, or squirm. They may also yell or speak loudly and can interrupt. Women with the predominantly inattentive subtype of adhd can struggle with concentrating on their lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and managing daily tasks. They can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time adhere to commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace things like glasses, wallets, keys and even wallets. Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This type of disorder can cause trouble at work, at home, and at school, and it can cause feelings of restlessness or boredom. They have a tough time waiting for their turn at school, at home or in the workplace and they frequently interrupt other people. They have a tendency to be reckless and are not able to manage their behavior. 4. Anxiety Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult time coping with their symptoms than boys and men. This is largely due to social expectations that demand that women and mothers are the primary caregivers for their children and their household. If a woman suffering from ADHD struggles to fulfill her responsibilities, she can be afflicted with anxiety and stress that lead to low self-esteem. This can make it more difficult to seek treatment. Women with ADHD are often not recognized as easily as boys or men because their symptoms don't appear as prominent. They may present with primarily inattentive symptoms, which do not have the same outward appearance as hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms, making them less likely to receive a referral for treatment from teachers and parents. They are more likely to develop coping strategies that mask their ADHD symptoms. For example the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as signs of anxiety disorders. Symptoms of ADHD in women can also change at different times in the woman's life. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, such as menstrual or pregnancy, a woman may notice her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This can lead to being viewed as a terribly emotional woman and can cause a feeling of anger. This article is based on research into how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including hormonal makeup, chromosomal makeup and anatomy. whereas gender refers to an internal sense of being a male, female or a nonbinary. This distinction is important as it helps us to better understand the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in women and men. In this article we will refer to males and those assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men and women and people assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies use this term. For more details, refer to the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.